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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28697817">Chances Are</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LauraRoslinForever/pseuds/LauraRoslinForever'>LauraRoslinForever</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Family Fluff, Philinda - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:27:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,451</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28697817</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LauraRoslinForever/pseuds/LauraRoslinForever</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Phil planned on taking that next step with Melinda, but as always, things don't go quite as expected.</p>
<p>Set after season four without the Ghost Rider ending and no space.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Phil Coulson &amp; Melinda May, Phil Coulson/Melinda May</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>114</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Sorry not sorry. If you know me even a little bit you won't be surprised.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Melinda hissed from beside him.</p><p>He looked over at her, trying hard not to smile at her scowl in the low light of the warehouse building. “What are you talking about? I told you I’d take you out for dinner.” She looked over at him. He smirked. “We ate.”</p><p>Her head shook, the soft fall of the waves of her hair that she had done before they left shook along with it. It sent another wave of guilt through his gut for changing their plans. “That wasn’t dinner, Phil.”</p><p>No, it wasn’t dinner. It was actually lunch.</p><p>Still, he defended, “What do you mean? Taco trucks aren’t your thing?”</p><p>Her eyes narrowed. “Maybe robot me would have liked it. Too bad she’s not around for you to have asked.”</p><p>She moved forward without another word and he sighed and followed her, gun raised, watching her back. He was in the doghouse, so to speak, and trying like hell to get himself out. He planned on taking her to a really nice place for dinner. Made reservations, even. But then he got a call from Mack that took them on a slight detour that ended up with them missing dinner.</p><p>“Come on, May. I told you I was sorry. How long are you going to hold her over my head?”</p><p>But whatever answer she would have given him, she blew off with a finger to her lips. “Phil,” she breathed, looking over at him with a furrowed brow. “Do you hear that?”</p><p>More alert than he was before, he listened... and listened. The abandoned building had been empty for years. The only sounds that they’d heard were the wind echoing through the halls and the rain that softly fell onto the steel and fiberglass roof. Then all at once, there it was. It sounded like humming? A soft murmur that was more of a whine? What the hell? “What is that?”</p><p>She gestured with a tilt of her head to the room across the hall. They held one another’s gaze for a long moment, silently communicating what they were about to do, which was her kicking in the door and him going in with her right behind him.</p><p>However, instead of charging in, they both paused just outside the room, hearing the sound easier than before. He tilted his head toward it. There was a familiarity to it that made him think… But no, it was impossible. One look at Melinda though, and he knew she had to be thinking the same as him because her expression changed from determined steel to a soft concern. Instead of kicking in the door, she reached for the handle.</p><p>He placed his hand over hers and waited until her eyes met his before saying, “It could be a trap.”</p><p>“It’s not a trap,” she said, twisting the handle and swinging the door open before he could stop her. “It’s a baby.”</p><p>He blinked, startled to see she was right. Melinda moved quickly beside the infant lying on the floor in what he could only call a nest of blankets, her hand on its belly looking around for any sign of a parent or trouble lurking in the shadows.</p><p>The baby blinked up at him. “This is new,” he said with a relieved chuckle.</p><p>Melinda rolled her eyes, but her irritation for him was short-lived as the baby whimpered, shifting her attention away from him. “Shh, it’s okay,” she murmured softly. He watched with a bit of wonder as she replaced her gun behind her, then took the infant in her arms.</p><p>It was cute. Small, with dark hair and dark eyes like Melinda and Daisy’s and she clung to Melinda’s shirt with one tiny hand while laying her head on her chest. The image of Melinda with a baby was a mental image he wouldn’t soon forget. If ever. It made him want to say things to her. Things he planned to say soon. Things he never had the courage to say before.</p><p>“Phil,” she said in a tone like it wasn’t the first time she’d called his name.</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“No one’s here. We need to get the baby somewhere safe.”</p><p>“Right,” he said, watching her remove her jacket to wrap around the baby. He gazed around, finding nothing that would tell him why the baby was there or what had happened. This whole thing was weird. Weirder than weird. A random call about an inhuman led them out here, and yet…. Unless… “When we get back to the car, I’ll contact Mack and have him look into the initial report.”</p><p>“You think it could have been the parents who called it in?”</p><p>“I think so. Why make a random call like that and lead us to an empty building?” His eyes fell to the baby whose eyes had closed, seemingly comfortable enough with Melinda before she fell asleep. He didn’t blame her. “A nearly empty building.”</p><p>On their way out they discussed several options for the baby, all of which Melinda shot down that didn’t include them keeping the child until they found her parents. The one thing they agreed on was they needed more information before they made any sort of move and got back to their temporary base (an old building they commandeered nearby) while remodels to the Playground took place.</p><p>Which was fine. Not exactly the night he had planned for them. Not the dinner and bottle of Haig they’d share before taking that next step. But this was more important right now. They’d have their dinner and whatever came from that another night.</p><p>Besides, it sounded like he still had some hurt feelings to make up for.</p><p>He pulled out his phone in the car and dialed Mack. “Hey, I need you to trace that tip. The building was empty, but we think there may be more to it. I want to know the name of the person who called along with where I can find them.”</p><p>
  <em>“You think it was a set-up?”</em>
</p><p>“Maybe,” he replied, eyes on the still sleeping baby. “May and I are heading back now”</p><p>
  <em>“Got it. See you soon.”</em>
</p><p>Twenty minutes into their drive, he looked over at Melinda;’s hand on his arm. “We need to make a stop before we can go back.”</p><p>“A stop?”</p><p>“She’s going to need things like diapers.” Her lips pulled up. “Unless you want to volunteer a few of your shirts?”</p><p>He shook his head. Not happening. “We can stop.”</p><p>He stopped at the first store along the way. In the parking lot, he turned off the motor and turned towards Melinda, waiting for orders or a list. Instead, she took off her seatbelt. “Here, hold her and I’ll run in.”</p><p>He hesitated from taking her, eyeing the baby. “Uh, maybe I should go in?”</p><p>The pitying look she gave him would have been insulting if it hadn’t been fair. “Do you even know what she needs?”</p><p>“No. Do you?”</p><p>She let out a scoff. “I know more than you do.”</p><p>He couldn’t argue with that. She’d planned a family once. He never had. With no further objections, she moved the baby from where she’d been sleeping peacefully from her chest to his.</p><p>“How do you even know it’s a she?” he asked, lowering his voice as the baby stretched until she was comfortable. He let out a breath when she didn’t start crying.</p><p>“Well, the hearts and flowers all over her outfit are a dead giveaway.”</p><p>“Oh,” he said, lamely. He probably should have noticed. She opened the door and his panic pushed away any thoughts of flowers or hearts from his mind. He knew next to nothing about kids and less about babies. What would he do if she woke up? If she cried, freaked out by some strange dude holding her? “What if she wakes up and cries? What do I do?”</p><p>Melinda let out a sigh. “Come on. We’ll both go.”</p><p>Inside the store, she grabbed a basket, and he followed her as she swiftly marched them through the store to the infant section. There, she grabbed a pack of diapers based on how much she thought the baby weighed. Which, holding her now, he estimated couldn’t be over ten, maybe fifteen pounds, if that.</p><p>He had to admit, them walking through the baby section of a store together with an actual baby wasn’t something he ever pictured them doing, and yet, it was nice. Domestic and, in another life, one that didn’t involve SHIELD something he could see them doing. Even with Audrey, he never saw them with kids. They had their careers, and she never talked about them. Which was fine with him. It made him wonder if he and Melinda would have done things differently if she hadn’t fallen for Andrew and if they had got together would they have had the kids talk?</p><p>He couldn’t imagine them not having it. Melinda wanted to be a mother, and he would have given her anything. Even now.</p><p>The baby reached up in her sleep and grabbed a hold of his tie. The simple action brought a smile to his face, and it stayed there as he followed Melinda down each aisle. Watched her take things from shelves they might need as she passed. He watched with fascination as she took packs of baby wipes, baby shampoo, burp cloths, a three-pack of pacifiers... She paused at the bottles, reading the backs of a few different ones before going with Dr. Brown, then turned to the formula where she spent a few more extra minutes deciding on one that claimed to be sensitive.</p><p>Over on the next aisle, she picked out a blanket and a pack of onesies. The baby shifted, stretching in his arms, and for a second he thought she might wake, but she settled once again. Looking down at her, he couldn’t help but think how adorable she was with all that dark, thick hair that fell across her forehead. For a moment, he let himself wonder what a kid he and Melinda might have would look like, but then looked up at the sound of a woman’s voice.</p><p>“Awe, what a cute baby.”</p><p>Phil looked over to see a woman a little younger than he and Melinda shopping for her own baby who was fast asleep too in her car seat. “Thanks,” he said, not knowing what else to say.</p><p>“She looks just like you both.”</p><p>The innocent comment left him smiling at Melinda, who turned away a little too abruptly and down the next aisle.</p><p>He’d stayed pretty quiet throughout their shopping so as not to wake her, but as Melinda tossed tiny socks and a hat into the basket, he couldn’t help himself and chanced a whisper, “I think May is enjoying shopping for you.”</p><p>She rewarded his words with a leveled glare. “We don’t know how long it’ll take to find her parents. Babies need things. And I’m not leaving her in those same clothes.”</p><p>He nodded. The least they could do was make sure they took care of the baby to the best of their ability while they had her. And maybe make sure once they found her parents she continued to be or was better than she had been before.</p><p>He held back a smile when Melinda came to a stop in the middle of the clothes section. “Bring her here,” she said as she took a few different outfits from the racks. He did as asked and held still as she placed a few different sizes up against the sleeping bundle, her eyes darting from the clothes to the baby. “She’s probably between three and six months?”</p><p>His gaze fell to the clothes. He honestly had no idea how old she could be, but if he had to guess, it would be the smaller size. “I’d go with the polka-dots.”</p><p>She nodded, then placed the larger sizes back on the rack and grabbed two more of the same size she already had. One white with yellow outlined bears, and another that was a simple pale gray. Satisfied with her purchases, she headed out, but his voice stopped her as they passed a row of superhero outfits.</p><p>“Ooh, Lin, look at this one.”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>He frowned and replaced Captain America with another. “What about this? It’s comic book style, and it’s Captain Marvel. You love Carol.”</p><p>She rolled her eyes, but he could tell her heart wasn’t in it by the way she tried unsuccessfully to smother a smile. “Fine.”</p><p>They started to leave once again, but then he saw an end cap full of plush animals. He reached out and took the one he knew Melinda couldn’t say no to. At her raised eyebrow, he held up the soft panda and said, “She should have one toy. Kids like toys.”</p><p>Melinda’s face softened. “Get it.” He smiled and did, but as soon as they headed back, she held out her arm. “Wait, we need a car seat.”</p><p>While he agreed, there was nowhere they could put one. “Won’t fit in Lola.” At her sigh, he promised, “We’ll get one later. If, you know, we still have her.”</p><p>They checked out and were buckled in and were safely on their way back up in the air and away from any traffic that might give Melinda any anxiety. They were both silent until the baby woke. She cried a little, but Melinda took out a pacifier which the baby took, and was soon soothed by Melinda’s murmured assurances that she was alright.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Is there a plot? There could be? Is this mostly just another new way for me to write about them and a baby? Absolutely.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Phil parked them in a private underground parking lot that came with the building they now occupied. Along with the three SUVs they were able to recover, it gave him a place to keep Lola without worrying about civilians parking close and scratching her. The thought alone made him shudder. Killing the engine, he told Melinda to stay put while he went around and opened the door for her, offering her a hand to help her out while holding the baby.</p><p>He got the many bags from the floor and locked Lola before jogging after her.</p><p>He wished like hell he had a camera the moment Mack opened the door for them. His eyes went wide, and his jaw dropped open. “What the-”</p><p>Phil smiled and closed the door behind them. “I know, right?”</p><p>Mack was still looking at May, or more specifically, the baby with disbelief when he replied, “Did y’all go out and adopt a kid while you were gone?”</p><p>He met Melinda’s gaze. They both shared a smile. “If by adopt you mean found in an abandoned building? Yes.” While the exchange was fun, he needed answers. “Did you find anything?”</p><p>Mack let out a sigh and shook his head. “Not much, but I tracked the address where the call was made.”</p><p>He pursed his lips. Not exactly the lead he wanted, but he’d take it. “It’s a start.”</p><p>A soft, upset sound from beside him had him looking over at Melinda.</p><p>She took the bags that held the diapers, bottles, and formula and told him, “I’m going to go change and feed her.”</p><p>He nodded once. “I’ll be right behind you.” To Mack, he asked, “Where’s Daisy?”</p><p>Mack reached up, scratching the back of his neck. “Uh, yeah, she went out with Yo-Yo to grab us all some Mexican.”</p><p>“Yum.” Damn, he wished they had time to eat. He sighed. There’d be time for that later. “Okay, I’m going to help May. I’ll come back down in a few. Let her know we’ll probably need her help with this one.”</p><p>“Will do.”</p>
<hr/><p>The soft knock on her door had her looking over. “Come in.”</p><p>“Where do you want these?” Phil asked, holding up the bags of clothes. </p><p>“Just put them anywhere for right now,” she told him. They needed to be washed as much as the baby needed to be bathed. Melinda frowned at the diaper rash she had and was glad she’d bought something for it.</p><p>The baby’s face fell as she cleaned her, a soft cry filling the room. “I know, baby. I’ll hurry,’’ she assured her, trying to put aside how her heart broke for her. She would never understand how a parent could leave their child. But she couldn’t think of that right now. Getting the baby clean and comfortable had to be her sole focus. Later she would let herself be angry and come up with a many choice words for the parents. </p><p>She nodded over at the bag next to her. “Can you make her a bottle?”</p><p>“Sure.” He took the plastic tub, turning it to the back, staring down at it. His face set into a frown that would have been adorable if she hadn’t had a hungry baby on her hands. “What do I do?”</p><p>“Follow the instructions,” she suggested, dryly. For a secret agent, he could be so dense sometimes. It was a good thing he was cute, and that she loved him.</p><p>“Right.” He moved away, ripping off the top and the protective film underneath. She caught him bringing it up to his nose, then immediately moving it away from him. “Wow, this smells like Hunter’s cooking.” </p><p><em> Dork</em>, she thought with a smile he didn’t see. </p><p>“Does it need to be warm?”</p><p>She looked over, watching him shake up the contents, proud that he’d figured it out. For parents on the fly, they weren’t so terrible. “Take it in the bathroom and run the bottle under some hot water.”</p><p>“Oh yeah. That’s clever.”</p><p>She rolled her eyes and called after him, “Not too warm.”</p><p>“Got it,” he hollered back. “You really know what you’re doing. When you and Andrew were... planning… How much research did you do?”</p><p>“A little,” she confessed, though it was truthfully a lot more than that. She finished with the baby’s new diaper then lifted her, tucking her in beside her watching as the baby chewed on her little fist. “I joined a mom’s-to-be group and became friends with another woman who was also trying. She had a baby already. She was almost a year old. I babysat her a few times. It was good practice.”</p><p>He was beside her now, holding out the bottle. “You’re good at it.”</p><p>She smiled, ignored the warmth that filled her chest at his praise and took the bottle. Holding it up to the baby’s lips, she took it without hesitation. The greedy happy hums that came from her were nothing short of adorable. </p><p>“She’s hungry.”</p><p>“She’s not the only one,” she couldn’t help but tease.</p><p>Phil chuckled. “After I talk to Daisy I’ll order us something.”</p><p>Melinda nodded. “That’s fine.” Phil took the blanket that had been around the baby from the warehouse from the bed. “That needs washed or thrown out,” she began to tell him, but then a small <em> thunk </em> had both hers and his gaze fall to the floor. </p><p>Phil kneeled, and Melinda’s eyes widened. There, in his hand, was a small USB drive. It had been tucked between the baby and the blanket the entire time. “Huh. I think we were right about this being set up.” </p>
<hr/><p>A little while later, after a briefing with the team he stood with Daisy and Mack outside Melinda’s room to update her with the new plan.  </p><p>“I’m going with Mack to track down the caller while Daisy finds out what she can get off of the drive.” He pulled on his coat. “You’ll be good here?”</p><p>Melinda’s head fell to the side. “Really, Phil?”</p><p>He chuckled. She could handle anything thrown at her, he knew, but a baby, well, he had to ask. “Yo-Yo will be here if you need anything.”</p><p>From beside him, Daisy scoffed. “Um, hello?” She looked between the two of them, affronted. “I’m good with kids.”</p><p>Between his look and Melinda’s, they made it clear they weren’t so sure about that. </p><p>“I’ll be fine,” Melinda assured, again.</p><p>“Good,” he said, then without thinking too much into it, leaned forward and kissed her cheek. He didn’t linger long enough to catch anyone but Melinda’s reaction. There was a slight smile, and he couldn’t be sure, but it looked like her cheeks were a little brighter than they were before. </p>
<hr/><p>Dropping her dinner on the desk beside her, Daisy plopped down in her chair and fired up her laptop. She took a fork full of her burrito bowl before shoving it ungracefully in her mouth. She was starving, and it wasn’t like anyone was around to witness her. She had managed to get in several big bites while waiting for everything to load.</p><p>“Alright, let’s see what you’ve got,” she said, reaching over and taking a chip then dunking it into her cheesy queso. She chewed thoughtfully, enjoying the richness of the cheesy delight while typing in commands that would hack her way in. Surprisingly, it didn’t take long.</p><p>She smiled to herself. Whoever tried to secure this was a serious amateur.</p><p>Taking another chip, she loaded it with more cheese and clicked on the first of the ten files named, Adam. Her chewing paused at what she found. As she scanned over the documents, her eyes grew wider and wider with the more she discovered. After she read through another three files with different names, she clicked on the last file that was unnamed. It’s only content, a single video and one text file.</p><p>Daisy opened the video first. A woman with long dark hair sat in front of the camera. She explained she was a doctor. A geneticist who worked for SHIELD then defected to Hydra when they pitched her the opportunity of a lifetime. She explained the project, how it operated, and how it was unfairly ending. And how they wanted all evidence, including the subjects terminated. Daisy’s stomach turned. The doctor said she was taking as many of the subjects as she could, but she wouldn’t be able to take them all.</p><p>She had no idea how much time had passed or how long she’d been staring at her screen in horror, but her meal sat cold beside her when she reached for her phone. She had to warn Coulson.</p><p>She clicked out of the video intending her next move to make the call to Coulson but then noticed the name of the single document next to the video. </p><p><em> Genitor </em>. </p><p>In it, there was a list of names. Biological parents. SHIELD agents.</p><p>“Oh… my god. You… sick... twisted bastards.” Her eyes filled with tears, but then she inhaled sharply at the two last names on the list. “Oh shit. Oh, <em> shit</em>.”</p>
<hr/><p>They drove on near silence through the town. The sound more often than not it was the voice of the navigator on their GPS. It wasn’t that he wasn’t in the mood to talk. It was his mind replaying over and over the kiss he gave Melinda and why he chose that moment to do it. He blamed the baby, mostly. Seeing her with it just happened to reinforce how ready he was for that next step, not to mention impatient.</p><p>He knew he’d have to answer for the kiss, but in all honesty, he thought he’d be answering to Daisy. So when it was Mack the one to question him, he was genuinely startled. </p><p>“What was that back there?” Mack asked.</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>Mack’s eyebrows lifted. “You kissed May.”</p><p>Phil made a face, trying to downplay it as well as he could. “On the cheek.”</p><p>“Still, you kissed her,” the bigger man said with a grin. “What’s going on with you two?”</p><p>He wished he knew. Things with Melinda had been different for weeks now. He’d eventually told her about kissing her robot. That’d been a fun conversation over a new bottle of Haig, which she sipped slower and slower once he admitted to drinking the last bottle, also with her robot. After that, he’d been trying like hell to make things up to her. Bringing her tea in the mornings and offering to cook them dinner at night.</p><p>He shrugged. “Nothing.”</p><p>“But you want there to be something?”</p><p>Duh.</p><p>“Can we not?”</p><p>Mack laughed. “Sure. But if you want something to happen, you know you have to tell her.”</p><p>Tell her? “Tell her what?”</p><p>“Come on, man. You love her.” Phil scoffed and looked away, out the window so he couldn’t see by his face how correct he was. “We all know it. We all see the way you two have been lately.”</p><p>“What do you mean lately? Melinda and I-”</p><p>“That’s another thing. It’s more Melinda this, Melinda that. She has always been May before. Now it’s Melinda. And you’ve been making her dinner...”</p><p>“We invite you and the rest of the team.”</p><p>He could feel Mack’s judgment. “It’s different.”</p><p>Phil chewed on the side of his cheek. It was. He knew it was. “It’s obvious to everyone?”</p><p>“To everyone with eyes.” Mack chuckled.</p><p>When Phil didn’t respond, Mack thankfully let the topic drop. He filled the rest of the time explaining how they found the baby and debated the many reasons someone would leave her alone for them to find. </p><p>The call was tracked to a small brownstone tucked between a hair salon and a tattoo parlor. They parked down the street and made their way on foot, passing through the throngs of people on the streets going to and from their nightly routines.</p><p>They went up the steps of the brownstone. Mack raised his hand to knock, but both noticed the door slightly ajar before he could. They shared a look, and both drew their guns.</p><p>Silently Phil moved into the house, followed by Mack. It was quiet save for the sound of a television playing in an empty living room. There weren’t any signs of a struggle that he could see. When every room below was checked and cleared, they headed upstairs.</p><p>Mack went into the first room while Phil checked the bathroom.</p><p>That’s where he found her.</p><p>“In here, Mack!” he called, kneeling beside a woman with dark hair lying in a pool of blood.</p><p>Mack was there in an instant beside him, checking her wound. “Shit.” He shook his head. “She’s bled out too long.”</p><p>Phil frowned. They could still call for some help.</p><p>A croak followed a murmured, “Leave me. Let me die.”</p><p>Phil looked into a pair of green eyes, ignoring his phone that had chosen that moment to ring. “Who did this to you?”</p><p>The slight laugh she gave was humorless. “I suppose you could say my former employer wasn’t impressed with my response to the termination of my work.”</p><p>Phil’s brow furrowed, and he looked over when Mack’s phone rang. Mack got to his feet and answered. “Yeah?” There was a beat before he told him. “Daisy’s got the intel. Coulson, she’s Hydra.”</p><p>God damnit, when isn’t Hydra involved? he thought. His growing anger began to recede his sympathy for the woman. “Was that you? The person who called in? Who abandoned the baby? Is she yours? What is she? A plan to get it and finish us off?”</p><p>“Ugh,” she tsked, disgust clear in her gaze. “You should thank me. I’ve cared for her since she was born.” The venom that dripped from each syllable she uttered was too much for her. She coughed a wet cough that brought up some of the blood that was filling her lungs. “I was saving her.” She gave him a look that was hard to decipher before going on. “Giving her back to who she belongs before they killed her like so many of the others.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Have you ever taken someone in? Raised them?” He immediately thought of Daisy, and she gave him a tired smile. “Of course you have. Would you not keep her safe? Even from your own comrades?”</p><p>“My God,” he looked up, somehow forgetting Mack was there. “This is… sickening. She’s a former SHIELD agent. Doctor Danica Jenkins. She specialized in genetics.” Mack paused. He was relaying information from Daisy, he realized. Mack’s face transformed into something hard, his jaw clenched before he said, “Coulson, she broke into SHIELD’s Storage Unit B. They’ve been stealing samples from agents. Manipulating their DNA with Inhuman DNA. Using surrogates to carry them.”</p><p>Storage Unit B. As agents, it exposed them to a lot of stuff. Radiation, 0-8-4’s, chemical weapons, not to mention the fights they had a tendency to get into. The injuries and side effects they could sustain from any of these situations made it a smart move that they all had a backup plan. Almost all agents chose to go this route. Even if they weren’t sure, it gave them the option of having a family later on should something happen.</p><p>She would have known that. And, if she had a high enough clearance, had access to it.</p><p>Fury like he’d never felt flooded through him.</p><p>“Why?” he growled.</p><p>She laughed, and as she did so, spat up more blood. “Why not? They had deemed animal tests successful enough to begin human manipulation. Should those succeed, why should Hydra test their own when they could one day use their enemies’ own children against them?”</p><p>“They’re monsters, and you’re one of them.”</p><p>“I won’t deny that they are,” she admitted. “SHIELD may be useless, but they wouldn’t kill children. I’ve cleared my conscience, saving as many of them as I could.” More coughing from her, followed by the sound of her shallow breathing.</p><p>A desperateness in him to get all that he could from her had his grip on her arm tightening. “The baby. You said you were giving her back to who she belongs. Whose is she?”</p><p>A smile pulled her blood-covered lips up. “Why, Agent Coulson, I’m disappointed you have to ask. She’s yours.”</p><p>Phil stared at her. Watched as her eyes closed, and a heartbeat later, just like that she was gone. </p><p>Phil let himself fall back onto the tiled floor, slumping against the tub. His heart pounding in his ears as his mind reeled.</p><p>
  <em> “She’s yours.” </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Melinda sighed as she walked down into Daisy’s hovel of a basement. The young girl was pacing a path into the concrete. A little dramatic, but it was Daisy so she’d forgive it. </p><p>“What’s so important I needed to rush down here?”</p><p>Daisy paused, and Melinda counted to six before she swallowed and answered with an all too soft, “There’s no way to say it. You just have to watch it.” Daisy pulled her chair away from her desk.</p><p>She eyed her warily as she took a seat at the offered chair. “Why does it suddenly feel like the time I showed Coulson the Tahiti project?”</p><p>“You’re not too far off,” Daisy mumbled.</p><p>Melinda blinkedup at her. “I don’t like the sound of that.”</p><p>Daisy said nothing but clicked play on a video not giving Melinda time to further question her. She was able to watch it for the most part pretty stoically. There wasn’t much Hydra could do that would surprise her at this point. No new low they couldn’t fall to. It wasn’t until Daisy clicked on a file that took her to another video that showed the same doctor with a newborn baby. She was speaking on the child’s health. Her measurements. Her weight. The pregnancy and the outcome of the delivery. Melinda realized as the video focused on the infant it was the baby upstairs in her room the doctor was speaking about. </p><p>Her breath hitched as it all came together. The reason they were the ones who found the baby and Daisy’s reaction… her heart tightened  in her chest and the doctors' next few sentences confirmed what she feared was coming. </p><p>
  <em> “...test subject’s genitors Phillip J. Coulson and Melinda Qiaolian May…” </em>
</p><p>When the video ended, she stood even though it felt like the walls were closing in on her. “Show this to Coulson when he gets back.”</p><p>She turned to leave, needing out of the room. </p><p>“Wait, May,” Daisy called after her. </p><p>She came to a halt when Daisy stood in front of her. The hand on her arm she barely felt. “Are you okay?”</p><p>She let out a breath through her nose. She was far from okay. “I’m fine.”</p><p>“How can you be fine?” Daisy asked, her tone aghast. “They stole from you. They created a whole person without your permission!”</p><p>“I’m aware, Daisy,” she fired back. She let out a heavy sigh, looking away, not wanting to see the pity in Daisy’s eyes. “I can’t do this right now.”</p><p>She walked out and through the building not stopping until she reached her room.</p><p>But instead of charging in, she paused just outside her bedroom door. Raising her hand she pressed it against the old wood then let her brow fall against it. On the other side of that door, wasn’t just some random baby, but <em> her </em> baby. </p><p>She couldn’t decide if she wanted to go to the gym and punch something until she no longer had the strength or sink to the floor and cry until she had no tears left. Unfortunately for her, she couldn’t do either.</p><p>Pushing herself away from the door, she gave herself a moment to school her features before going in. “Thanks for sitting with her.”</p><p>Elena got her feet. “No problem. Did Daisy find out what’s going on?”</p><p>She swallowed hard. “Yeah.”</p><p>“Good.” She looked away from her over to the baby. “Maybe we’ll be able to get this niña back to her parents. I can’t imagine anyone leaving something so sweet.” She turned back to her. Her brows creased, her lips falling into a worried frown. “May, are you okay? What’s wrong?”</p><p>“It’s… just a lot.”</p><p>Melinda didn’t open up to many people about her past, however, a few months ago, after the dust had settled from Aida, they’d gone out for a drink. Elena told her about her time in the Framework with Mack. About his daughter and how that experience together got them talking about children. And Melinda, after not one but four shots of tequila, told Elena about how once upon a time she almost had a family and how she’d given up on that dream. </p><p>Elena had joked that she still had plenty of time then proceeded to tease her about her and Phil.</p><p>She felt a hand on her back. “Hey, I know you’ll make sure she’s okay even if we don’t find them.”</p><p>She nodded, afraid to speak. Afraid her voice might break if she did so.</p><p>Elena left, closing the door behind her. Melinda went over to the window and stood there for a long while until she heard the stirrings of the baby. She padded over to the bed. She was awake and gazing up at her. And when she wasn’t immediately picked up, she began to cry.</p><p>Unable to resist, Mel took her up in her arms, placing her against her chest. The baby snuggled against her. She breathed in her scent, dropping kiss after kiss to the top of her head. “It’s alright. It’s gonna be alright. I’ve got you now. And I won’t ever let you go.”</p><p>She closed her eyes, overcome by what this all meant. A tear slipped down her cheek, followed by another and another.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>😱 More to come soon.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He made his way wearily up the stairs and came to a stop outside the door. On the other side would be Mel, but also his daughter. Their daughter. He rubbed a hand over his face, not knowing what to expect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He raised his hand and knocked lightly. “It’s me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s open.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stepped inside. The sight before him had him rooted to the spot. It was dark, the only light came from the light of the city shining in her window from below. Melinda was in bed, the baby asleep on her chest. “How is she?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” She leaned down, kissing the top of her head gently as not to wake her. “She likes being held.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat on the edge of the bed. Despite everything, a small smile pulled his lips slightly upward. “I don’t blame her.” Melinda reached her hand out, and he took it. “Makes me wonder if she got a lot of attention if any.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her head fell back, rested against the headboard of her bed. With her eyes closed, she said, “God, I’ve been trying not to think about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to. I’m sorry.” Truthfully, he didn’t want to either. Thinking about it only made the anger he’d been burying deep down for the sake of Melinda and the baby surface once again. “I’m just-” he paused, frustrated he couldn’t find the right words to convey this feeling he was feeling. He was a father, and yet he didn’t feel like much of one. “She’s right there and still- I can’t believe it. I want to track down everyone responsible and make sure they answer for every part they played in this sick experiment.” The only thing he could be, the only thing he knew how to do, was to be there for Melinda. For them both. “How can I make this easier for you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pulled her gaze from the baby and looked at him. His heart felt like it would burst from his chest at that moment. By God, he loved her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a moment, she tugged on his hand. “Come sit with us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swallowed, nodded. “I can do that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moving, he positioned himself by her side and raised his arm. She leaned against him, dropped her head to his shoulder. They stayed like that for what seemed like hours. Watched their baby daughter sleep safely in the arms of her mother.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Phil looked up at the light rapping sound of knocking. Mack stepped inside. “Hey, Daisy and I are leaving to get Jemma. Just thought I’d let you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks,” he said, nodding while frowning down at the papers in his hand that couldn’t mean less to him if he tried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How’s the baby?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phil lifted his gaze to meet Mack’s knowing one. Mack had a daughter. Hope. He remembered meeting her in the Framework. She was a sweet girl, and Phil thought he had a better understanding today of how it might feel to lose something so precious. Before he imagined losing Daisy, and that feeling made him nauseous. Thinking about the little tiny version of him and Melinda asleep in Melinda’s room and losing her made his chest tighten along with his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pushing those thoughts aside, he told him what little he knew of his daughter. “Good. She sleeps a lot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was the extent of his knowledge. From the little time they had her, he had only a handful of facts. That she was quiet but happy. Smiled when you kissed her cheeks. Slept most of the day and night. And didn’t like being away from Melinda unless she had her within sight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he wasn’t ready to share those things just yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mack chuckled knowingly. “They do that. How’s May?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phil blew out a breath. “Aside from being pissed off but can’t really do much about it because she’s a parent now, she’s okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good to hear. I’ll get Simmons and get back. I know she’s eager to get back here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let her know I appreciate it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will do.” Mack turned to leave and Phil took a seat, staring down at the papers until he looked up once again at the sound of Mack’s voice. “Play-gyms.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His brow furrowed. “Sorry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mack chuckled. “When Hope was a baby... around that age, she loved play-gyms. You can get some that light up and play music. Though, the music gets a bit annoying after a while…” The big man laughed once more as if caught up in a memory, and Phil knew he was. “Anyway, she loved it. I’d recommend one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pursed his lips and nodded, making a mental note to tell Melinda about it. “Thanks, Mack.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Daisy lied to Coulson and May about being good with kids. The truth was, she’d never been around many. So it came as a shock to her just how uncooperative they could be when Jemma asked her to help hold the baby still.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a squirmy kid, aren’t you?” she told the baby, a hand on her belly trying to keep her from rolling this way and that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jemma smiled, knowingly. “I think she’s looking for Agent May.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeah, well May was on the phone out in the hall with Coulson trying to find out what happened with SHIELD’s Plan B and if there was anything recoverable left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daisy looked behind her, finding May right there. She stepped around to the other side of the table. “Hi, baby.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The baby’s eye lit up right then. Daisy was quick, but the baby was quicker. She rolled away from Daisy and towards May, who picked her up and kissed each of her cheeks. It was beyond adorable, and she didn’t blame the baby one bit for wanting her mom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we know you can roll, which is fantastic.” Jemma’s voice said, drawing their attention. “What else can you do, lovely? Does she respond to you? Smile, coo, laugh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She hums a lot, and she does smile,” Coulson said coming into the room, shoving his cell phone into his back jeans pocket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s something,” Jemma began, typing notes into her iPad while going on, “It wouldn’t be fair to compare her milestones with other infants her age, having been mostly isolated.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>May turned away. Daisy watched Coulson put a comforting hand on her back. It had to be absolute shit to think about what she went through in there. Daisy knew from experience how lonely being a kid with no parents could be. It’d be worse to think about being an experiment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The records showed she was born on April twelfth, making her just over three months. I’ll analyze her blood some more and go over more of the doctor’s research, but as far as I can tell she’s completely healthy and everything looks normal.” At this, May turned to face her. She looked skeptical. “Try not to imagine the unthinkable. If they were successful, we just have another Daisy on our hands and that’s not a bad thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jemma smiled at them both, even her. She wished she could say that comforted her. Coulson nodded and gave her his thanks, and they all watched May wordlessly leave the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daisy shared a look with Jemma and let out a sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’ll be okay, guys,” Coulson said. “We just need to give her some time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Coulson gave her a soft smile. “You know, at the end of the day, I’m a dad. And that’s pretty great.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“What are we gonna call her? Baby Agent is cute, but it might be better if we give her an easier name before preschool.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Melinda turned away from the window. Phil was at his desk, holding the baby, trying to get her to take her pacifier over his tie. “Can you believe I hadn’t thought about it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about Margaret if I promise not to call her Peggy? Maggie’s cute, right?” She smiled over at him, but it didn’t reach her eyes. He kissed the top of the baby’s head and got to his feet. “Hey, sweetheart, I’m gonna put you down for a minute.” He placed her down on the blanket where he’d been lying with her earlier. The baby whined softly at being put down, and Melinda watched with deep skepticism as he gave the baby her elephant lying next to her. It seemed like it was going to pacify her for a few moments, anyway. He came over to her, taking her lightly by the arms. “Talk to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t want to talk. She wanted to go put her fist through something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just a lot to deal with, Phil.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She crossed her arms. She supposed it was as good of a time as any to be honest with him. “I’m- angry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can see that. Do you want to tell me about it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She let out a deep sigh. “I wanted a baby.” He didn’t look surprised or shocked by this. He knew she wanted a family back when she was married to Andrew. And though she’d been through a lot since that maternal feeling, she had never fully gone away. “I… I know I’m not young anymore, but I had a shot. I had a “someday” when I was ready to stop.” Her tone softened at the gentleness she found in his eyes. “I’m not angry at her. I’m angry at them. It should have been my choice. It should have been me who got to decide… to carry her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They took away that experience from you,” Phil said, his voice cracking with the emotion Melinda felt acutely in her chest. “I’ve always thought even back then you’d make an amazing mother someday. What they did, it doesn’t mean you won’t have another chance to make that choice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t even know if there’s anything left.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but we will, and then we can decide based on the outcome.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, it doesn’t have to be with me… I’d understand if you wanted to choose someone else-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head, not wanting him to continue that train of thought because yes, she’d choose him. “Phil, stop.” She turned to gaze down at the baby lying on the floor on her blanket, gazing back up at them while chewing on the ear of her elephant. She’d need to be fed soon. Need a nap. Need Melinda to walk and talk with her while sleep pulled her eyes close. Two days ago she knew nothing about her. All this time she’d been out there growing, with most likely little affection or attention. Except for those rare moments when she was being studied. Rage burned in her chest thinking about them. About what they would have done. Her jaw tightened before she said, “They could have hurt her. They would have...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phil was behind her. His hands falling on her shoulders, squeezing them. “You don’t have to say it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She blinked away angry tears. “We would have never known.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But we do,” he murmured, right before he kissed her temple. The simple action had her eyes fluttering shut and her heart filling with a comforting warmth. “She’s safe and healthy and with us now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She let her weight fall back against him. His arms wrapped around her middle, and she wrapped her arms around his. They stood there together like that, gazing down at their daughter. There was nothing awkward or hesitant about it. “Margaret, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Margaret May,” he chuckled, low and light near her ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head. “Coulson. Margaret Lian Coulson. Maggie for short.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another kiss, this time to the top of her head. “I love it.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Melinda snuck out of her room later that evening with a basket of laundry. Phil had fallen asleep with the baby after lying with her on Melinda’s bed, keeping her entertained while Melinda pulled tags off of onesies and sorted through the baby things they had and still needed to get. Before she knew it, the room had gone quiet, and she looked up to find them both fast asleep. It was as endearing as it was adorable. And even as chaotic as her mind was, she might have taken out her phone and took a few pictures before slipping away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The quiet hum of the washing machine was a much-needed relief. Not that she didn’t want to be around the baby, it was very much the opposite. Beneath the anger for Hydra, she was thrilled to be a mother, and that motherly instinct in her didn’t want the baby far from her. What she wanted relief from were her thoughts. Her worry about Margaret’s health. Her fear and hope about when this meant for her and Phil. What he was thinking when he looked at Maggie. At her...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a knock on the door, though it was wide open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked over and found Daisy standing there, leaning against the frame. “Where’s the baby?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took one of the baby’s sleepers from the basket of still-warm clothes. “Napping with Phil.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Napping, huh? I want a nap.” The young girl pushed herself away from the door, making her way over beside her. “That’s a lot of laundry you got there,” she said. Melinda felt the young girl’s eyes on her and was able to count to five before Daisy asked, “You wanna talk about it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She let out a sigh. Melinda was torn. She’d talked about it with Phil, but she hadn’t opened up at all with Daisy, and she was as close to her as a daughter. Which was why Melinda felt herself wanting to be honest with her?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, she didn’t know what good it would do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s there to talk about? Thanks to Hydra’s sick and twisted methods, I have a daughter. A daughter with Phil. Which, having a baby any other way with him would be fine, but because nothing in this godforsaken life of mine, I don’t know if she will be alright or what exactly they’ve done to her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t imagine how you must be feeling. Coulson… I’ve never seen him so… rattled.” Melinda had. When it came to her or Daisy. Daisy reached over and took a blanket from the basket. She smiled down at the foxes and bears. “Or so happy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Melinda looked over at her. Something that had been tight inside her chest eased, replaced the tension with a wave of warmth. Gratitude. Leave it to Daisy to help her see through the wreckage. “Phil was born to be a father.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like you were born to be a mother?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She handed her the folded blanket. Melinda held back tears, wanting to throw her arms around the girl and never let go. Instead, she gave her as much of a smile as she could and took the blanket. “I don’t know if I’d go that far.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would,” she replied. Melinda was unprepared for the hug that followed but still wrapped her arms around the girl in return. After several long moments, Daisy broke free. “I better go find Jemma. I told her I’d help her out with some things.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Melinda nodded, wiped away a tear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And hey,” she said, stopping just outside the door. “I think Maggie's a cute name."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So Daisy will probably have her own little POV here and there... Hope you enjoyed. &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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